


monday

by astralpenguin



Series: lead me to a future [3]
Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Maze, Apologies, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Minho is a good friend, Newt (Maze Runner) Has a Crush, One-Sided Attraction, Thomas is Missing, Unrequited Crush, Worried Newt, and wants to set it right, and with good reason, bc minho knows he screwed up, i love that tag omg, or so he thinks, spoilers for main fic, they're 11 years old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 08:29:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15602391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astralpenguin/pseuds/astralpenguin
Summary: If Thomas got hurt, Newt didn’t know what he would do.cannot be read as a standalone





	monday

**Author's Note:**

> newt's pov of the afternoon and evening of monday the 14th of march, when thomas fails to meet the group at the hideout
> 
> concurrent to chapters 67-69

The first few minutes of the walk to the hideout were silent.

Newt barely noticed. He was too worried about Thomas to focus on anything else.

He hated to admit it, but Thomas going to the Sports Centre alone made sense. Teresa was right, Beth wouldn’t take well to being crowded. And out of everyone, Thomas was the one she'd be most likely to listen to.

There was something about Thomas that meant you could help but like him.

(He was probably biased about that, but he didn’t think he was wrong)

Still.

He was worried.

If Thomas got hurt, Newt didn’t know what he would do.

A sharp prod on his shoulder snapped him from his thoughts.

“Ow,” he said, rubbing at it and scowling at Minho. “What was that for?”

“I’ve been trying to get your attention, but you’ve been lost in your own little world.”

“I was thinking.”

“I realised.” Minho smiled reassuringly. “He’ll be fine, Newt. Stop worrying.”

Newt huffed a sigh and stared at the ground passing by below him. “It’s not that easy.”

“Yeah,” said Minho, “I know. I’m worried too.” He nudged Newt with his elbow. “But it’ll be okay, there are teachers there.” He lowered his voice so there was no chance of Alby or Teresa overhearing him. “This killer guy would have to be an idiot to try anything with so many witnesses.”

“I know that,” said Newt. “It doesn’t help.” He sighed. “I don’t even know, I just have an awful feeling that something’s going to go wrong.”

Minho hummed in thought. “I don’t really know how to help with that.”

Newt laughed. “That’d be because there’s nothing you _can_ do. I’ll be fine once Tommy joins us, don’t worry.”

Newt waved at Jorge as they walked past Fring Foods, while Minho fell silent next to him. Neither of them said anything more until they reached the hideout.

Before Newt could go in, Minho stopped him. “Can I talk to you about something?”

Newt stepped away from the door. “Sure.”

Minho stuck his head inside, yelled that they’d be joining them in a minute, then pulled the door shut.

“Listen, Newt.” He looked down at his shoes. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

Newt frowned. He didn’t know what Minho was talking about. “What for?”

“For what I said earlier, about boys not being able to like boys.”

Newt immediately shook his head. “No, you don’t need to apologise for that, you didn’t know any better.”

“It was a dumb thing to say, and it upset you.” Minho looked up at Newt’s face. “So yeah, I _do_ need to apologise.”

“I wasn’t upset.”

“Yes Newt, you were.” Minho sighed. “We’ve been best friends for years, I can tell when you’re upset about something. And I can especially tell when you’re upset, but you’re trying not to show it. So stop denying it already. I’m sorry.”

Newt relaxed. “It’s okay, Min,” he said. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”

Minho nodded. “I also wanted to apologise for the rest of that conversation.”

Again, Newt was confused. “Not that I think you need to, but wouldn’t Tommy be a better person to say that to?”

Minho started to shake his head, then stopped. “I mean, maybe, and I probably will at some point, but that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what _did_ you mean?”

“Me saying that Teresa calling him ‘Tom’ was a sign that she likes him led to him saying that your nickname for him didn’t mean anything. That must’ve been rough to hear, and it was my fault. So I’m sorry.”

Newt tried his best to keep looking confused. “But it _doesn’t_ mean anything. I said so at the time.”

“Yeah,” said Minho, “and it was a lie that I guarantee only Thomas bought.”

“What are you saying?”

Minho ran his hand through his hair. “Newt, I know he’s your crush. I realise that now.”

“You’re wrong,” said Newt. “You’re getting that from me using a nickname for him? Mate, I called you ‘Min’ just a few seconds ago, and I definitely don’t have a crush on you.”

“Everyone’s called me that at some point,” said Minho. “But you’re the only one who calls him ‘Tommy’. And the only time I can remember you getting mad enough at Gally to yell at him was just after _he’d_ used that nickname, so you clearly don’t like other people doing it.”

Newt crossed his arms. “That doesn’t mean I like him,” he mumbled, although he didn’t know why he was bothering to deny it anymore.

“Hey,” Minho said gently, “it’s okay. You can be honest with me.”

Newt gave up.

“He can’t know.”

Minho rolled his eyes and smiled. “He’s a moron, so you’re good on that front.”

Newt huffed a breath of laughter. “I know, right? For a moment today I thought he was sure to work it out, but nope!”

Minho’s smile morphed into a grin. “Soooooo,” he said, drawing out the word, “how long have you liked him?”

Newt shrugged. He’d spent some time considering this after Teresa had asked him, but still wasn’t sure about the answer. “Longer than I’ve known what a crush is supposed to feel like, I think. I don’t know how long exactly.”

“Who else knows?”

Newt glanced upwards as he thought. “Teresa. She pulled me aside one day and made me admit it. I’d be very surprised if Sonya didn’t, and I think Siggy does too. I’m not sure about anyone else, but I know I’m not great at hiding it.” He laughed again. “I mean, you figured it out the moment you knew it was even an option.”

“Are you thinking of telling him?”

Newt threw his arms in the air in an exaggerated gesture. “I don’t know? Probably not? He’s one of my best friends, I don’t want to risk losing him.”

He wasn’t upset about Minho laughing at him. He was kinda expecting it.

“You wouldn’t lose him over this,” said Minho. “He cares way too much about you for him to let something like a crush drive you apart.”

“Yeah, you’re right. But I also know that he doesn’t feel the same, so there’s no point telling him.”

Minho frowned. “How can you be sure about that? He might like you, you never know.”

“No, I know this for sure. He doesn’t see me like that.” He smiled in a way that he hoped was reassuring. “And that’s okay, really. But it means that I should keep this to myself as best I can.”

“I could probably-”

“Minho,” Newt cut him off, shaking his head. “Please leave it.”

Minho hesitated, but then nodded. “Okay,” he said, “I’ll leave it alone. But if you ever want to talk about it, I’m right here.”

Newt placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Thanks, Minho.”

  


Hours passed, and Thomas didn’t show up.

As the evening went on, Newt found it harder and harder to pretend that nothing was wrong.

Minho tried his best to distract him. He included Newt in the conversation, asked his opinion on things, and drew him into a giant group game of Uno. Newt appreciated his efforts, but it was all for nought.

Not even everyone else’s excitement at the fresh snowfall could take his mind off worrying.

Eventually, people started going home for the night.

Thomas still hadn’t joined them.

When it was just Teresa, Minho, and Newt left, Minho suggested they walk Teresa to the bus stop.

Fully aware of how ridiculous he sounded, Newt said, “What if Tommy gets here, but we’re all gone?”

Teresa put an arm around Newt and gently squeezed. It was probably supposed to be a comforting gesture, but while he was glad she was trying, it didn’t have much effect. “It probably took longer than he expected, so he decided to go home after. You’ll see him tomorrow.”

Newt attempted a weak smile. “Yeah, probably.”

“Tell you what,” said Minho, “we can see Teresa off, then we’ll go yell at him together. That sound okay?”

Newt nodded. “I like that plan.”

  


Before too long, Newt was knocking firmly on Thomas’ front door, with Minho stood just behind him.

So firmly, in fact, that the door just swung open.

Hesitantly, Newt stepped inside.

There was nobody there.

It looked like Mary had left in a hurry. The lights were still on, and the kitchen area had a half prepared meal strewn around. At least the stove was off. That could’ve been a disaster, otherwise.

“Okay,” said Minho, “I don’t like this. Something’s wrong.”

“Ya think?” Newt muttered, just loud enough for Minho to be able to hear him.

“What are you two doing here?”

Newt spun around to face the door, seeing Minho doing the same out of the corner of his eye.

Mary was stood in the doorway. She was clutching her bag tightly, with an indecipherable expression on her face.

“Thomas never showed up where we’d agreed to meet him after school today,” said Minho. “We figured that he must’ve gone home instead, and came to find him. The door was open.”

“So you just wandered in?”

“The lights were on-”

“Mary, where is he?” Newt said, cutting off Minho’s explanation. “What’s happened?”

Mary took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever she was going to say.

“Thomas isn’t going to be in school tomorrow. Please don’t worry about it. Both of you should be heading home, it’s late.”

She ushered them both out of the door.

Newt was halfway though turning around to bang on the door again when Minho dragged him away.

“She’s told us to go, so we’d better go,” he said once they were a few streets away. “If it was something serious then we’ll find out tomorrow, but knowing him he probably just walked into a wall and got a concussion or something.”

Newt pulled arm back. “If it was something like that then why didn’t she just say so?”

Minho shrugged. “I don’t know, Newt. But Thomas is tough. Whatever it is, he’ll be okay. We know he will.”

Newt bit his lip, but nodded.

“I hope you’re right.”

**Author's Note:**

> a lot of these oneshots are going to be set during the coma. there's another one that should be going up very soon : D
> 
> come say hi on [tumblr!!](http://astralpenguin.tumblr.com/)


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